Murder suspect killed in standoff with DC police

An exchange of gunfire erupted Tuesday morning after police arrived at a home with a warrant for the suspect's arrest

WUSA 9

WASHINGTON — Metropolitan Police Department Police Chief Cathy Lanier says a suspect opened fire on police before they returned gunfire on Tuesday morning.

According to Lanier, the department had received a tip indicating a suspect in a recent homicide was at a location in the unit block of K St. The regional area task force staked out the area at 6:15 a.m. Tuesday and eventually approached the house.

Police said at a press conference that they knocked on the front door to issue an arrest warrant for the suspect, who then exited the back door and opened fire. Officers had established a perimeter around the house and police say multiple officers returned fire.

The suspect was wanted in a February 27 homicide in the 3600 block of Jay St. Northeast. The victim in that homicide was 19-year-old Tykia Dickerson of Southeast.

Lanier says the suspect with a firearm exited a home, which had other people inside, and opened fire. Officers then returned fire and the suspect was hit. The suspect was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Police are not identifying the suspect until family members are notified, but Lanier says more details should be released soon.

U.S. marshals and a SWAT team are at the scene, which is just a block from Sursum Corda and Watkins school campus, reported WUSA 9's Delia Goncalves. According to Lanier, officials weren't sure at the time whether or not people inside the home were armed so they took extra precaution by bringing in the SWAT team.

Lanier tells us that people inside the home were not involved in the incident and were removed from the home without incident.

Currently the unit block of K St NW is closed to traffic. Drivers are encouraged to use North Capitol Street NW as an alternate route.

A witness tells WUSA9 that cars were parked in a construction lot. They sped off and then there were eight gunshots, according to the witness.